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Chapter 25 - Fighting A Losing Battle

Ryu slowly crept within the darkness of the gymnasium arena ready to meet his fate, but vowed to not go down without a fight. Hopefully, his fight would go unnoticed as a supreme ninja. His only downfall was Yung & Xia magic and their ability to enhance their skill. Though he heard no footsteps, other than his own, he could tell he was not alone; being watched and stalked by the two hierarchs, it was only a matter of time before they quit toying with him and revealed themselves.

Ryu kept calm, looking to his left and right, while keeping a close attention to his backside, assuring all of his blind spots were covered. Ryu knew that he would not fall victim to a surprise attack.

Suddenly, from out of the shadows, Yung made his attack as he swung his sword at Ryu. After Ryu made his successful block; the two fighters aggressively went into their sword battle. Swords clinged and kicks were dodged, not a single attack landed as the two foes faced off.

It was only after a matter of time, Ryu found his opening and took full advantage of it. After Yung made his swing, Ryu ducked under it and attempted a stab from behind. Unfortunately, Yung was able to catch notice and made a successful block, only to see afterwards, it was now Yung that was on the defense straying away from Ryu's attacks.

Out of nowhere, Ryu felt a strong pain impact smash across his back against which caused him to stumble. Yung took advantage and smashed his elbow across Ryu's face. As Ryu stumbled backwards, to regain his composure, he felt something wrap around his foot. After a slight tug, Ryu instantly fell to the ground. He then looked up to find Yung mid-air falling towards him with his blade in hand. In defense, Ryu rolled from the attack; but when he made it to his feet for another square off againstYung, he was gone again. Disappeared into the darkness of them.

He heard a voice. "We are going to have so much fun with you, Hayabusa." It was Yung.

Ryu quickly turned to assure no one was behind him. Then he tried looking into the darkness, but could see nothing. He was able to make out a shadow, but it was only a blur as it disappeared into an even darker part of the arena. Ryu gritted his teeth. He now knew it would not be a fair match. Xia helped Yung once she saw her lover going into his defense strategy. Problem is, it was still only part of the bout, it was nowhere near to the closing. Yung still would've had a great chance of defeating him or vice versa. It was too early to tell. He realized that the couple was not going to allow Ryu to have any type of advantage whatsoever.

The crack of Xia's whip caught his attention and his cat reflexes immediately turned his attention to the weapon darting after him. He caught ahold of the whip, and pulled as hard as he could bring Xia into the light. But before Ryu could make a second move, he felt a strong impact smash across the back of his head forcing him to release the whips and stumble to his knees.

Xia then retracted her whip and diverted another attack as the whip snapped across his back. Ryu arched in pain, and just as quick he felt the whip wrap around his neck. He felt her pull on the whip forcing him to the ground. Ryu quickly unloosened the whip to prevent her from causing any permanent damage, but he was not allowed to return to his feet as Xia quickly snapped her whip across Ryu's chest. Again, Ryu riveted in pain. The whip left a sharp stinging pain on his chest and when he looked he found himself already bloodied from the attack. He could only presume that his back was in the same position.

Before returning to his feet, Ryu quickly pulled two shurikens and threw them in Xia's direction. She quickly dodged one while catching the other between her forefingers, then eyed him with a smile.

"You are going to have to do a lot better than that." She said and she quickly snapped her whip against cracking against Ryu's hand, forcing him to release his Dragon Sword.

She, then, quickly leaped into the air, wrapping her whip around her body, then decended with an attack to the fallen ninja. Ryu quickly rolled from the attack and pounced to his feet only to see Xia quickly approaching with attacks.

Now weaponless, he fended off the woman the best he could, but just as Yung, Xia presented an excellent technique as the two battle across the stage. She gave Ryu exceptional offensive tactics and her kicks faster than he had ever seen before. He managed to block and sway from most of her attacks, but ultimately, Xia lead in the battle was overwhelming as she garnered the initiative, landing hit after hit, bruising Ryu's body.

Ryu only had one desperate maneuver that he hoped would buy him some time and waited for his opening. With Xia oncoming attacks, he knew his opening was coming. And then there it was. Xia lunged another kick towards him as he quickly caught her leg surprising Xia, then quickly sweeping her only standing leg forcing her to the ground.

Instead of attacking Xia, Ryu predicted Yung wasn't too far behind as he threw a blind punch behind him. He was right. The punch connected to the side of Yung's face. He heard the man grunt and disappeared into the darkness again; and when Ryu diverted his attention back to Xia, she was not on the ground, but has once again disappeared along with Yung.

"QUIT WITH YOUR GAMES!" Ryu yelled out retrieving his Dragon sword.

But the only reply he received were chuckles from his two opponents which echoed throughout the arena.

Yung then made his presence in the light, "Do you actually think you are strong enough to defeat the both of us?"

Ryu quickly readied himself for battle giving Yung a cold stare.

A voice spoke behind Ryu. "I think our games are becoming a bit of an annoyance to the lone ninja." Ryu turned to see Xia with her whip wrapped around her body. "Do you agree my love?"

Yung gave a chuckle. "Your silly aparations of victory or dying with honor is less than admirable Ryu." Ryu turned his head back to Yung who only slouched with his blade safely resting on his shoulder. "Do us both a favor and take your death like a man."

"I am." Ryu boldly replied.

Then Xia chuckled. "Ahh, so he knows he will die. So what is it ninja? Why do you fight? To give time for your precious Aileen to escape?"

"DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!" Ryu yelled at Xia.

Xia eyes popped open in a sarcastic shock. "My, my, sensitive are we?" She commented. "If the tables were turned and it was my lover to die, I would slit my own throat just to be with him for eternity."

Yung smiled to Xia. "And I too my love."

Xia then let the whip fall to the ground. "Your death will be slow Hayabusa, only because you have become torment to us both." She said. "But in the honor of love, Aileen's death will be quick and painless. That way you two can spend the rest of your eternity together."

Ryu readied his sword. "Then come kill me."

Xia smirked and she made the first move darting her whip at Ryu's direction. He quickly dodged but was immediately side swiped by Yung's interference. Throughout Ryu's life, he has battled many foes. Many times he could singe handedly take out dozens of skilled ninjas. But Yung and Xia were so much more of a different case than his previous enoucthe. Now he was up against a force that seemed to be unstoppable. It was as if they were predicting all of his moves. When he threw a puched, they blocked it. When he thrusted a kick they swayed away from it. Any attack that managed to land the other enemy would interfere assuring that the other wasn't harmed.

There were no openings for Ryu to take advantage of. They were closed fighters. They had no weaknesses. Ryu only fought to keep his life intact as long as he could, but ultimately, if the fight continued on this path, Ryu would not be alive very much longer.

A sudden crack from Xia's whip smashed against Ryu's hand, and before Ryu could react, Yung made the offensive approach kicking the Dragon Sword away from our hero, then smashing the handle across his face..

Now Ryu was weaponless agains his opponents. While Yung and Xia gave themselves more of an open advantage in the battle, taunting Ryu with their respective weapons in hand. Ryu didn't back down, rather he readied himself into his ninjitsu fighting stance, ready for his opponents to make their first move.

"Wow, I must say," Xia spoke. "He is very persistent, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is." Yung replied with a smile. "I'm beginning to understand how he was able to stop our clan on the Vigoor Empire."

"Very true, but we can't allow ourselves to continue such a battle on unfair terms."

"I agree, my love."

Just then, both, Xia and Yung threw away their weapons and readied themselves into their stances.

"Does this meet your satisfaction, young Hayabusa?" Xia asked him.

But Ryu gave no reply, only assured that he kept his eyes on both of his opponents, gladly accepting the favor of relieving their weapons for his sake. Ryu was more than happy to use any advantage necessary.

"Come, my love," Yung spoke. "Let's show our friend that we are just as dangerous without weapons as we are with."

Then both Yung and Xia stormed after Ryu bombarding him with attacks.

Once again overwhelmed by the tactics and strengths of his two opponents, Ryu fought with all of his might to stray off the Black Spider Clan's top hierarchs. But as much as he tried, the better fighters they seemed to have become. It wasn't long until Yung and Xia broke through Ryu's defense and began landing punch after punch. Kicks connection against his flesh. Smashes and blows which finally brought Ryu to the ground.

Exhausted, Ryu laid on the ground panting, sweating, wanting his torture to end. He tried to find a way out of his predicament, but every opportunity he found, Yung and Xia was surely there to block it, then destroy it. Ryu was out of options, he was out of ideas. Yung's and Xia's magic had ultimately assured Ryu would fight a losing battle, and now he lied and wondered what was next for him to experience before his death.

Bloodied and cut, with his own sweating adding a stinging pain when it dripped over his open wounds. Ryu was beaten, both physically and emotionally.

"Ninja, ninja, pathetic little ninja." Yung spoke as the two stood over him.

Ryu's eyes were blurred, blinded from his own sweat and exhaustion.

"I think he now understands how powerful we are." Xia responded as well.

"Would you agree that it's time we put him out of his misery?" Yung asked his lover while still keeping his eyes fixed on Ryu.

"Yes, I agree. I am getting bored and am a bit anxious to see Mitsuri."

Ryu couldn't believe what he heard. After all of the effort he put into the fight, he still was not going to achieve what he originally wanted to accomplish. To die with honor. Ryu could bare move and could barely see with the blood stinging his eyes, but he was able to make out his opponents have turned their back on them to retrieve their weapons.

It was another opportunity Ryu wanted to take advantage of, but he was too weak. He turned his head where he laid and saw his Dragon Sword laying a very short distance away from him. Ryu then used every ounce of his energy to move his body towards his sword.

"Look at this Xia," Yung said noticing Ryu crawling to his sword. "This man just doesn't want to give up."

Ryu ignored Yung's comment and continued crawling towards his weapon.

"Oh please," He heard Xia respond. "Why don't you just give it up ninja? You're too weak to go on." She replied. "You know it as well as we do."

Xia may have been right, but Ryu didn't care. If he was going to die, he was going to make them work for his death. He refused to lay on that ground and accept defeat.

"You have to admit, Xia." Yung spoke. "It is a bit admirable, don't you think?"

"Admirable? Or just plain stupidity?" Xia looked at her lover. "Can't we just kill him now while he's crawling about?"

Yung held up his hand. "Not yet. I want to see this."

Ryu grasped his sword, then drove the blade into the cemented ground, and used its leverage to pull himself back to his feet.

"Congratulations." Xia sarcastically said. "Now you have your sword, what are your plans now?"

Ryu didn't respond but only readied his blade, awaiting another battle.

Xia looked to Yung again and gave an angry scoff. "Can we kill him now? He's becoming more of an annoyance than an opponent."

Yung chuckled at Xia's response. "Don't be so crude. Remember, we do have an advantage." Yung kept his eyes on Ryu. No fighter Yung ever face would continue such a battle. Ryu knew death was coming, but Yung admired the fact that Ryu wouldn't accept it. But how long would he continue to toy with him before he ended Ryu's suffering. "Fine, we'll kill him now. Only because I hate to see such a fighter in such a disgrace."

"Good." Xia said as she snapped her head in Ryu direction with a mischevious smile. With her whip in hand, she snapped it at Ryu as it cracked across his hand, forcing him to release the Dragon Sword. Then she began walking seductively towards him. "Aww, poor little ninja." She taunted. "It must really hurt that you put all of that effort to retrieve your sword, only to see it leave your grasps again."

Ryu continued his panting, holding his hand in pain, watching Xia walk towards him. Yung stayed in the background to only watch his death.

Xia quickly threw her whip at Ryu again as it snapped across his chest. Then she gave another quickly snap across his arm. If Ryu wasn't so exhausted, he could have dodged the attacks, but his energy had been drained from their battle. There was nothing left inside him.

"Come on ninja." Xia yelled at him. "Fight back." She said snapping her whip across his body forcing Ryu to fall back to his knees.

In that quick sudden instant, when Xia was close enough, Ryu quickly threw his last shuriken at her. Hoping to gain some measure in a surprise attack. But Xia's instinct was still too quick as she used her whip to ricochet the projectile back into Ryu's direction as it embedded into an already open wound on his arm. Ryu gave a loud scream in agony as he fell to the ground writhing in pain.

"Please do not tell me that was the best you could do." Xia replied.

"Enough toying Xia," Yung spoke. "End it."

Xia never looked back to Yung but fixed a smile on Ryu's fallen body. "You heard the man." She said as she readied her whip and snapped it at Ryu's body. The whip wrapped around his throat and suddenly, Ryu felt his body being jerked back to his knees, choking on the rope around his neck.

"So tell me, how do you want to die Hayabusa?" Xia was directly behind him, driving her knee into his back while pulling on the whip, forcing his body to arch backwards. "You only have one choice, since a man can only die once. So make it good." Ryu didn't respond. In fact, he couldn't. The life of him was being chocked out as he held onto the whip in and attempt to release it from his throat, but Xia had a good grasp on it.

Then Yung intervened. "You know, Ryu Hayabusa. Xia may not see it, but I see the fighter in you." He said walking towards the bonded Ryu. "You fought off our Clan on the Vigoor Empire, you destroyed the Dark Dragon Blade, you killed members of my Clan on our own territory, and you even managed to defeat Dokon, a hierarch." Yung snickered. "I hate to admit it, but you even managed to score a point on me in our battle in the forest."

He then pulled his sword revealing it to Ryu. Ryu could only watch. Xia kept him bonded, he couldn't move a single muscle.

"Do not worry, Ryu Hayabusa of the Hayabusa Clan." Yung continued and readied himself for the final blow against our hero. "You will die with your honor. You will die with your legacy. I will be sure you are buried as a failed hero."